Motörhead: Snake Bite Love

With "Ace Of Spades," you've written the best heavy-metal song, if not the best rock song, ever. Do you call it quits, resting on your laurels even after you turn 50 No! You keep rocking like a motherscratcher, stopping only when they pry the bass out of your cold, dead hands. Now entering its 23rd year as a band, Motörhead—more accurately, bassist/singer Lemmy Kilmister—keeps plugging away, despite being hot-potatoed by countless record labels. Snake Bite Love is Motörhead's second release through the notorious career-resuscitators at CMC International, and it's… Well, it's Motorhead. Lemmy's trademark growl is in full force, as he sings about government, war, sex, death, rock 'n' roll, and all else that matters in Motörworld; also present is the jackhammer speed that has since been copped by the likes of Metallica. Not every song here is a winner, but the stronger tracks, like the ominous "Assassin" and the full-speed title track, make up for the weaker ones. In the grand scheme of things, the band breaks no new ground with Snake Bite Love, but Motörhead deserves accolades merely for being itself.